Wednesday, March 11, 2009

LACK OF INSIGHT

The SBS INSIGHT program that went to air last night had the title 'Why are more Australian women having Caesarean sections?'

Guest panelists included mothers, midwives, and obstetricians. The Health Minister, Hon Nicola Roxon, joined the discussion by video conferencing. The transcript and video are available at the website. You will also find at that site a growing number of comments (over 500 at the time of writing this blog) from interested people.

What was clear to me, while watching the program, is the serious lack of insight that Nicola Roxon has. She played the safety card – where does she get that information from? Where is the evidence? She followed the script of the Report almost to the word.

There was no sign of acknowledgment or understanding that by implementing the recommendations she will be ushering in a new era, more restrictive to midwifery practice and to women’s choice of care provider than we have ever known before. We need to ask serious questions about the quality of advice about midwifery the Minister has been given. It’s not just about homebirth. It’s about a midwife’s right to choose to practise midwifery in any setting, and about a woman's right to access midwifery care privately if she chooses.

The absolute arrogance and lack of insight by obstetricians Ted Weaver and David Molloy astonished me – and you would think I had been around long enough not to be astonished. Would they recommend specialist primary care in other areas of medicine and surgery?

I was proud of the efforts of midwives in the program, and the women who spoke of woman centred care.

We have a big job ahead of us. We have a health system that supports every medical/technological choice, and restricts those who want to give birth in harmony with their body’s physiologically normal processes; clearly the safest and most satisfying way for most women.

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villagemidwife

About me

I have been a midwife since 1973, and have practised independently, attending births in homes since 1993.

My four children, born after I qualified as a midwife, taught me that the medical model of care was not suitable for a well woman. The first three, born in a hospital in Lansing, Michigan, taught me that I could push boundaries. The fourth, born at a birth centre in Melbourne Australia, opened up new possibilities, and new philosophies. The babies themselves taught me about birthing and breastfeeding. My first grand-daughter, born into my hands, has brought to my life and loving a wonderful new dimension. The birth of each subsequent grand-child has been a precious time for me.

I learn more from every woman who takes me into her life for the birth of her child. I learn more from each wonderful baby as she or he enters our world.

It is not easy to practise as an independent midwife in Melbourne. Women do not, as a rule, question the care that is available through our health system. Women giving birth are usually submissive to the dominant medical system. Options are not well understood, and not widely available.

Women who choose midwife care are discriminated against financially. Whereas free hospitalisation and subsidised visits to the doctor are available to all, care by a known midwife is usually expensive, except in isolated public hospital programs.

In recent years I have been less able to ignore ageing, and I have realised that I need to write my stories, and share my professional knowledge so that it is not lost when I am no longer able to practise.

Thankyou for visiting my blog. I hope you will find it informative and useful. Please leave a comment or contact me joy@aitex.com.au